


Million Reasons

by WatermelonJesus (puppiesnclickers)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drabble, Established Relationship, F/M, Light Angst, Million Reasons, Reader-Insert, Songfic, first I love you, the walking dead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-18
Updated: 2016-12-18
Packaged: 2018-09-09 15:56:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8898220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/puppiesnclickers/pseuds/WatermelonJesus
Summary: A Daryl Dixon x Reader Insert Songfic
“I don’t know what’s happening Beth,” the (E/C) eyed woman sighed in defeat, slumped over in her room, their room. “Everything was fine, we were doing fine. You know we’ve had our ups and downs; even you have, you and Zach.” The woman shifted around on the mattress, hands clasped tightly together as she stared intently at her boot-clad feet.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first drabble fic, so constructive criticism is welcome. Also, I am aware my summary sucks. I couldn't think of anything good to put down~
> 
> Based loosely on the song Million Reasons by Lady Gaga
> 
> Originally posted at x-readerpairings-fandomoriented.tumblr.com | If you want more, I'm over at my Tumblr almost all the time

_You're giving me a million reasons to let you go_

_You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show_   
  


It was hard at times, having to deal with the pressure of a relationship when the dead were all around you day and night. Wanting, _needing_ , to survive while also worrying about the fact that it was crucial to look out for your other half was telling on the brain. She felt like she couldn’t deal with the emotional and physical strain that was clearly tearing them slowly apart, the already fragile strings staying strong but willing to split at any moment. They were both stubborn and they knew that, somehow managing to form a romantic bond while barely opening up to each other.  
  


Everyone could feel the tension that surrounded the two on a daily basis, Daryl always skulking off to go hunt or take off on supply runs, (Y/N) distracting herself by taking care of Judith even though she worked on guard duty. She loved the man, so deeply that if someone were to rip her heart right out of her chest, it would forever beat for him and only him. Recently, though, everything had been shifting into something more strained than usual, the hunter always slipping right through her fingers during the day and hesitantly accepting her touch at night. It pained her in a way she wasn’t comfortable with talking about to Maggie or Carol, so as always, she pushed it to the back of her mind.  
  


_If I had a highway, I would run for the hills_

_If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still_   
  


Days went by without the two of them talking and the atmosphere in the prison was more or less awkward. Carol had tried conversing with Daryl to no avail while Glenn had taken a different approach, taking the hunter out on a small supply run to get in some questioning time. Daryl didn’t budge, however, much to the irritation of the main group. Maggie had tried countless times to get (Y/N) to open up about what was going on, but it was ultimately the younger Greene that managed to crack through her surface.  
  


“I don’t know what’s happening Beth,” the (E/C) eyed woman sighed in defeat, slumped over in her room, _their_ room. “Everything was fine, we were doing _fine_. You know we’ve had our ups and downs; even you have, you and Zach.” The woman shifted around on the mattress, hands clasped tightly together as she stared intently at her boot-clad feet.

   
“Well,” the younger Greene started, clearly hesitating with her thoughts, “maybe you just need to talk to him.” (Y/N) was about to protest but Beth cut her off. “I’m serious, just _talk_ to him. Nothin’ is ever easy when it comes to relationships. You just gotta give him a chance, (Y/N). And if he still doesn’t talk, then maybe you need to lay out all your cards on the table, show your hand and see if he counters it. If he doesn’t, then he isn’t good enough for you.” She was staring at the downtrodden woman in front of her, taking in the bags under her eyes, the way she held herself. _This isn’t good,_ Beth thought to herself, _she needs to find him or this isn’t going to end well._  
  


_I bow down to pray_

_I try to make the worst seem better_   
  


She needed to clear her thoughts and the only way she could think of doing so was by taking guard duty for the night. Her (H/C) hair was in disarray, clothes baggier than usual and smile almost nonexistent. Thankfully, Hershel could tell that she needed to do something to get the thoughts plaguing her mind to go away, even for a small second, and allowed her to take the graveyard shift. The couple still hadn’t talked to one another, a few more days passing by to this one night. The chill was cooling down her heated skin, allowing her to just focus on the cold air instead of the stress the situation was causing her.  
  


(Y/N) knew that everyone was worried about her, the rapid decline in her overall health,  but she didn’t want to dwell on that. Instead, she focused on her footsteps, the slight crunch of the gravel underneath her boots, the soft chirping of crickets that somehow managed to survive along with the moans and groans of the walkers on the other side of the fence. _Nature prevails in the end,_ she thought bitterly, thoughts slowly drifting back to Daryl. The contact between the two was not the issue anymore, but more of the fact that she couldn’t find him _at all._ He was obviously avoiding her openly, that hurting more than any hateful or spiteful words ever could.  
  


Finally arriving at the tower, she opened the door, light trickling into the darkened space. (Y/N) propped open the door, allowing her to properly see the ladder rungs leading up to the top of the enclosed top. Deep breathe in, deep breathe out, repeat. The ladder reminded her of all of her problems with their relationship, how she was at the very bottom and needing to somehow advance her way up to resolve their issues. Gnawing on her lip, she sluggishly ascended up the metal rungs that groaned under the weight of her body.  
  


_Lord, show me the way_

_To cut through all his worn out leather_   
  


Maybe it was because they had been avoiding the topic of children; he wanted one and she was stricken with fear every time she remembered Lori. Maggie had told her in explicit detail of that horrible day, opening up to the woman who was now hesitating at the latch. Maybe it was all her fault. With that sudden worry implanted in her mind, the door above her head swung open, Daryl’s face looking back at her. Panic seized her, grasping onto her heart as her wide and startled eyes looked on into his own emotionless ones. Without a word, he shuffled away, holding the door open for the woman and once she passed through the threshold, the archer kept his distance.  
  
  
The silence was unbearable but (Y/N) understood that the air around them was a too tense, so she decided to let him talk at his own pace. She instead took the time to study his features, not seeing anything out of the ordinary other than the blank but strong glare aimed at the landscape around them. They sat like that for a long while, not making a single noise besides the barely audible intakes and outtakes of air.  
  


“I know yer worried.”  
  


_I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away_

_But baby, I just need one good one to stay_   
  


Her eyes locked onto his face, his blue eyes staring right at her for the first time in two weeks, and her heart melted before solidifying. Daryl could clearly see the emotions running across her face and she could tell he could. It was a never ending cycle and (Y/N) was the one who broke it by looking at her drawn up knees.  
  


“I’m not worried about-”

  
“(Y/N), stop it. I know yer not okay. Hell, I’m not okay,” Daryl stressed, leaning his arms on bent knees while gazing at her steadily. He let her process his words before he pressed on, wanting to just _be_ with her instead of talking it out like he hated to do. “Yer not the only one that’s scared. I ‘member what Maggie looked like when she came outta the prison with Lil’ Asskicker in her arms and Lori, not beside 'em.” The man started to chew on his thumbnail like he always did when he was nervous and the woman had the instinct to reach her hand out to stop t like she always did. She forced herself not to, knowing that he was still shy when it came to showing affection.  
  


_Head stuck in a cycle, I look off and I stare_

_It's like that I've stopped breathing, but completely aware_   
  


The woman turned her head slightly towards the skyline and stared pointedly at it, not wanting to look Daryl in the eyes and break down crying. She needed to be strong, to not show weakness, and not knowing that was what Daryl _wanted_ her to do. He wanted to comfort her, show her he was there for her when he hadn’t been the past few days if the evidence of how she looked was anything to go by. _Great job Dixon. Look at what you’ve done now._ As he was mentally berating himself, (Y/N) took this as a good moment to get everything off of her shoulders.

  
“I love Judith to death like she was one of my own, and I know Rick appreciates everything I’ve done with her. It’s just… I don’t want you to see me like that, Daryl. I don’t want to leave you like that and I know this relationship is still fresh and I sometimes think we’re moving too fast-” (Y/N) had to stop herself before she became a sobbing mess, thinking if anything happened that she would be leaving him on his own with a small baby in place. “I don’t want you to close yourself off from the rest of the group, from _our_ baby. I love you too much to do that.”  
  


A weight had been lifted from her conscience, allowing her to breathe a little better as she finally relaxed for what seemed like a whole year. Now she had another problem to deal with; Daryl’s response. Would he be angry? Upset? _Will he pull further back from me?_ Just as quickly, the calm that washed over her vanished as a layer of hesitancy wrapped around her previously unburdened shoulders, latching onto her skin and whispering unwarranted thoughts into her mind. And then another thought rushed to the forefront of her mind. _I just said ‘I love you’._  
  


_And if you say something that you might even mean_

_It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe_   
  


Fidgeting on the spot, she made a move to get up but Daryl was faster and stopped her motions with a firm hand on her wrist. They said nothing as Daryl pulled her to him, grasp on her body comforting as she tentatively relaxed into his chest. His body was tensed but slowly unfurled, settling comfortably with the (H/C) woman resting on his chest, pressing a long, lingering kiss to the crown of her head.  
  


“Everythin’ is gonna be fine, (Y/N). We’re gonna be okay, so let’s jus’ get this past us. We don’ have ta have children now, and we can wait as long as ya need ta.” She curled further into his broad chest, fingers fidgeting with the edge of his vest. Daryl maneuvered his fingers under her chin, chuckling lightly when she feebly protested the movement. “I love ya.” This froze her in her tracks, hands tightening into his vest as she peeked up at him from under her furrowed brows.  
  


“Do you mean it?”  
  


“O’ course I mean it, woman. Not stop yer fussin’ and kiss me already.”  
  


Sure, they had their ups and downs, like every couple has before. And as they finally shared a delicate, passionate kiss, she realized that he gave her one in a million reasons to stay.

  
_But baby I just need one good one to stay_


End file.
